DeMarcus Lawrence having career year for Cowboys despite sack slump

There won’t be much to play for in a meaningless Week 16 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. With Dallas already looking ahead to the playoffs, it might take some extra motivation for some players to remain competitive. For the Cowboys, star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence definitely has something to prove, he will be playing for something that is near and dear to him, reaching double-digit sacks.

How important is getting double-digit sacks in a season to Lawrence? He put it simply.

Does getting double-digits in sacks mean anything to DeMarcus Lawrence? “Absolutely it matters. If you want to be elite you got to get it every year.”

Lawrence has 9.5 sacks on the season and just needs to be involved in one more to break the barrier. Against the Giants, who have allowed 46 sacks as a unit, there is a good chance he can accomplish his goal.

Sacks are an important factor in gauging pass rush effectiveness, but it is not the only thing. In the case of Lawrence, his impact on the Cowboys is not quantified by mere sack numbers alone.

More Pressure, more problems

In the 2017 season Lawrence tallied 14.5 sacks, tied for second best in the league. He has 9.5 sacks in 2018, and barring the greatest pass rushing performance in NFL history, he is not likely to succeed his previous season totals. By looking at the stat sheet, some people will be quick to point out Lawrence has underperformed based on his sack production.

Sacks are simply one part of the equation, another being QB pressures. Lawrence is a true disruptor on the football field and his tendency to reach the quarterback at a high rate reflects that.

Lawrence currently ranks fourth in the NFL in QB Pressures with 42 and second among all DEs; New Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan leads the position with 45 pressures. What is surprising about this is that Jordan has played in 851 defensive snaps to Lawrence’s 722, a difference of 129 snaps. With that in mind, it is incredible that Lawrence has totaled nearly as many pressures with a significantly smaller snap count. He has proven to be efficient in this regard and with more opportunity his production could have been astronomical this season.

Another category where Lawrence shines is with QB hits, he is tied for sixth with 22. Sacks are an important measuring stick for edge rushers, but players that generate QB hits at a high rate are also valuable. Lawrence has proven to be adept at generating pressures and knockdowns, but his dominance doesn’t end there. According to ESPN’s Pass Rush Win Rate metric, which demonstrates how often a pass-rusher is able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds, Lawrence has a win rate of 34 percent. This combined with his pass rush productivity is a impressive feat.

A true playmaker on defense

There are more advanced stats that tell the story of Lawrence’s impactful 2018 season for the Cowboys, one such stat is Expected Points Added (EPA). Brian Burke’s +EPA, which totals up EPA for defenders involved in every play, is a good form of measurement.

Here is how Lawrence ranks among the rest of the league in terms of EPA (with thanks to Daniel Houston, who runs the @CowboysStats Twitter account, for providing the code to produce this):

Rams interior pass rusher Aaron Donald is having arguably the greatest season ever for a defensive linemen. Not to get lost in all of the madness is Lawrence who has also had an incredible season in his own right. His high EPA is a testament to his playmaking contributions on defense. In addition to the aforementioned sacks and QB hits, Lawrences’ other notable stats are as follows.

15 tackles for a loss

1 interception

1 forced fumble

1 fumble recovery

EPA takes all of this into account and with this kind of production he is recognized as one of the best DEs in the league. Looking at the totality of his contributions, the possibility of Lawrence playing on another team in 2019 should be a moot point.

Lawrence might be having a down year in terms of sacks, but he still has an immense impact for the Cowboys in other facets of the game. As the team gets prepped for a possible Super Bowl run, Lawrence will be there to lead the defense. He has proven worthy of a contract extension with his current ball club, and talent like his is truly unmatched.

See where Lawrence ranks in our Week 17 Cowboys Player Power Rankings gallery.

Gallery

Cowboys Week 17 Player Power Rankings

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